chicken nugget parmesan

I think the financial gluttony of yesteryear instilled bad shopping habits in us. The prelude to dinner has always consisted of someone pulling a dish out of their head and blurting it out.. Pending group-o.k., one of us would run out the the store and pick up what was needed.

In an effort to adhere to something resembling a budget now a days – we try to make it for a month based on one trip to Costco and a couple of ancillary trips to the grocery store for short-shelf-life items. (produce).

I’ve noticed now, and somewhat enjoying, the creative foraging process at the end of the month. Kevin’s great at making goulash gruel concoctions, which have all the presentation merits of a plate of upchuck – but taste delicious. I tend to replicate fancier dishes with bizarre substitutions.

The other night around 5:30 someone blurted out “Italian”. Challenge accepted.

The remainder of a bag of chicken nuggets from Costco + one can of tomato paste + the tail end of a container of parmesan.

Taa-dahhh.. Trailer Trash Chicken Parmesan.

Thanks to some heavy handed garlic and black pepper use they actually tasted…… well… surprisingly decent.

I believe this type of behavior is an exercise in “home economics” – but I don’t recall any lessons about “feeding a family of three with whatever you can find in your cabinets” from Jr. High. I only remember making an olive drab apron and chocolate chip cookies… (and daydreaming of hurling my seam ripper at the mean girls who picked on my big bones and fashion sense).

Sorry – can’t blog.. Gotta figure out what to do with four chicken breasts, some frozen broccoli, a can of beets and some stale pretzels.